The Gonzaga Bulldogs have a lot of work to do between now and Selection Sunday on March 17.
After a big win over the San Francisco Dons on Thursday, the Bulldogs (14-5, 5-1 WCC) are still firmly on the bubble to make the 2024 NCAA Tournament according to the latest ESPN Bracketology update from Joe Lunardi. Gonzaga is “the first team out” of the projected 68-team field, while rival Saint Mary’s is projected to earn the West Coast Conference’s automatic bid as the WCC Tournament champions.
The Gaels (16-6, 6-0 WCC) helped themselves with a dominant 76-28 win over Pacific on Thursday, which moved them up to No. 18 in the NET Rankings. Gonzaga only moved up one spot to No. 27 in the NET after earning a Quad 2 victory. It goes to show that the margin of victory matters (even if the NET itself disclaims that sentiment), but the rankings also indicate that the margin for error is small and that there’s a long road ahead for the Bulldogs if they’re to go dancing for the 25th consecutive season.